


Of Teapots and Tortoises

by sassy_dae



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Confessions, Established Relationship, Fluff, I wrote this while high on pain meds after binge watching Harry Potter movies in hospital, Johnny is kinda weird but taeil likes that about him, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, muggle taeil, wizard johnny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:47:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29886843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassy_dae/pseuds/sassy_dae
Summary: Taeil’s boyfriend is a little bit strange, but it’s one of the reasons he likes him. But he soon comes to learn that there is more to Johnny’s quirkiness than meets the eye.
Relationships: Moon Taeil/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Comments: 8
Kudos: 42





	Of Teapots and Tortoises

**Author's Note:**

> Just something cute and sweet and short that I wrote while on high pain meds.

Taeil thinks his boyfriend is quite special. Bright, open, and friendly—Johnny is outgoing and always willing to help Taeil with any task, enjoys listening to Taeil’s gripes about work and always laughs at his dumb jokes. And it doesn’t hurt that Johnny is _handsome—_ tall and well built with a flawless face. But Taeil’s favorite thing about him is his smile. Happy scrunched eyes turn into half moons, his cupid-bow lips widening into a gummy smile. The same lips that feel warm and soft when he bends down to kiss him. 

But Taeil’s boyfriend is also quite… _eccentric_. From his manner of speaking to the way he dresses, Johnny is _very_ left of center, which Taeil only thinks adds to his attractiveness. 

First, Johnny seems to not understand how basic technology works—the microwave, the TV remote, cellphones, the internet, the washer and dryer, the electronic lock Taeil helped him install on his front door. He doesn’t even own a laptop or tablet. It’s no wonder Taeil first met Johnny while he struggled to figure out the vending machine outside his office building. Since that first meeting, Taeil still finds it endearing when Johnny excitedly shows him how he mastered some simple appliance. Like a kid discovering the world for the first time and exploring its wonders, Johnny’s enthusiasm never wanes. And it utterly melts Taeil’s heart.

Second, Johnny’s fashion tastes are _bold_. Cloaks, robes, and chains—perhaps Johnny is just really into the advent-grade scene, but it’s definitely beyond Taeil’s usual hoodie and jeans. But he wears it well, and with confidence, which Taeil can only admire. Plus, Johnny looks good in anything he wears, his body tall and lean, his proportions almost perfect. 

Third, Johnny sometimes uses strange phrases that Taeil has never heard before. He’ll often hear him mutter ‘Merlin’s beard’ or call a particular idiot out on the street a ‘boggart’s mother’. Taeil just assumes they are weird American sayings, since his boyfriend grew up in the United States and didn’t move to Korea until a few years ago. Who is he to judge when he could only speak one language, let alone two? It’s all just a bit lost in translation, perhaps.

Lastly, Johnny has some strange doodads in his apartment. There is a clock on the wall that never really seems to tell time though it moves as if it’s measuring _something_ , a strange pot that Johnny claims is a dutch oven but Taeil knows it isn’t, and the spices that Johnny keeps in his bottom cabinet that he claims are for ‘American foods’ but Taeil isn’t convinced. And not to mention the odd books on his shelf that look to be over a hundred years old. Taeil hasn’t heard of any of them; but then again, Taeil isn’t as prolific a reader as he should be.

It’s all a bit strange and a little weird, but it’s also what drew Taeil to Johnny—his uniqueness and unabashed confidence in his sense of self.

Despite Johnny’s technical-illiteracy and quirks, Taeil has never actually considered Johnny would be from a different place—practically a different world. So when Johnny suggests cooking dinner for their three-month anniversary one morning, Taeil thinks nothing of it.

“I want it to be a surprise, so don’t show up until around 7,” Johnny smiles at him, taking Taeil’s hands and kissing them as if he were a gentleman of yesteryear trying to woo him. Taeil shakes his head. 

“You almost burned down my kitchen trying to make toast like 10 minutes ago. Are you sure you don’t need my help?”

“I can manage cooking one meal without your help, Ilie. Let me spoil you for one night, hm? You are always doing things for me, let me do this one thing for you,” Johnny smiles down at Taeil, cupid-bow lips quirked on the ends. He rubs his thumbs along the back of Taeil’s hands, trying to reassure him. Taeil bites his lip and sighs. How can he say no to that pretty face?

“7PM?” He asks, looking up at his very tall boyfriend.

“On the dot. And don’t worry! I promise, it’s going to be magical,” Johnny says before taking Taeil's face in his hands and bending down to kiss him sweetly.

* * *

When the day arrives, Taeil paces back and forth in his apartment, fearing that Johnny will indeed forget how to use the microwave and set his place on fire (which has almost happened at least four times). When the clock strikes 6PM, Taeil thinks that’s close enough to 7PM and starts heading out the door. The thought of arriving to a half-burn down apartment convinces Taeil he should head over early. He shoots Johnny a text and hops on the subway, excited and anxious to see his boyfriend.

Punching in the code to the keypad he helped install, Taeil opens the door and shuffles off his shoes. He’s halfway through apologizing for showing up early when he stops dead in his tracks, eyes wide and transfixed on the scene before him. Dishes and cooking ware float through the air, food being prepared by invisible hands. Johnny stands in the middle of the kitchen, hand under his chin as he flicks a stick in his hand like an orchestra conductor, muttering to himself quietly. Brooms sweep around the apartment, tidying up all on their own as if this were Fantasia. This is by far the strangest thing Taeil has ever seen surrounding Johnny, and he isn’t sure what to do. Taeil stares, trying to understand what the hell is going on before he finally finds his voice again.

“J-Johnny…What..the…?” He mumbles, unsure of which question to ask first. Johnny turns sharply towards the door, eyes widening in shock. Everything seems to freeze midair as Johnny puts the funny stick away and walks towards a gobsmacked Taeil.

“Taeil! Um, you’re here early!” Johnny laughs awkwardly.

“I texted you, but what…what is going on?” Taeil finally manages, his vision going blurry and his heart racing from both fear and excitement. He steps back away from Johnny as he approaches him, stumbling until his back hits the door. “What is all this?!”

“Ilie, take a deep breath. Everything is _fine_ , ok? There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Johnny says in a soft, reassuring voice. Taeil wants to believe him but his own eyes can see that there is something very, _very_ strange going on. His instincts tell him to _run_ , but he stays rooted in his spot, his heart willing him to trust his boyfriend. 

“Johnny,” Taeil whispers, and Johnny quickly makes his way over, gently taking Taeil’s hands and intertwining their fingers. Taeil squeezes Johnny’s hands, clutching them in fear. “The vegetables are chopping themselves.”

“Yes, they are.”

“And the plates,” Taeil points with a trembling hand. “ _The plates are flying!_ ”

“True, but they won’t hurt you. I promise, you’re safe here,” Johnny reassures him, placing a large, calming hand on Taeil’s trembling one. He kisses it softly as he slowly coaxes Taeil further into the apartment. Stiff and heavy, Taeil lets himself be dragged towards the kitchen, where the delicious smell of meat roasting in the oven greets Taeil’s nose. Johnny carefully places Taeil’s hand on the floating plate, showing him that it’s _just_ a plate. Nothing more, nothing less. Taeil turns it, inspecting it carefully but finding that it really is just a plate, the same plain white one he helped Johnny pick out at Ikea a few weeks ago. But it doesn’t make _sense_ and Taeil doesn’t know what to make of it.

“Taeil, I have something to tell you,” Johnny starts softly, watching Taeil examine the plate with scrutinizing eyes. “But I need you to stay calm and _trust me_. Do you trust me?” He turns Taeil’s face in his hands, making sure Taeil can look into his eyes and see his intentions. Taeil swallows, searching Johnny’s face before slowly and carefully nodding. Because he does trust Johnny, despite the fear he feels in his chest. Johnny sighs before carefully kissing Taeil’s forehead soothingly, grateful Taeil hasn’t run away just yet. “Do you believe in magic, Ilie?”

Taeil just stares at Johnny, confused. “You mean, like, card tricks and pulling rabbits out of hats?”

“No, not quite like that. Like…you know that video games you showed me? Where you can be a sorcerer that casts spells? That kind of magic,” Johnny says evenly, trying to read the creases in Taeil’s brow and the slight frown on his lips. 

“Are you saying that…this is sorcery?”

“Magic,” Johnny nods.

“Magic,” Taeil repeats, his eyes drifting briefly to the floating plate and back to Johnny. “This is all… _magic?_ ” Johnny nods, running a soft thumb over Tail’s cheeks. Taeil stares at him, eyes wide and confused. “…How?”

“Because I—I’m,” Johnny swallows, taking a deep breath. “I’m a wizard.”

“You’re…a _wizard,_ ” Taeil mumbles, and Johnny wonders if it’s possible for someone’s forehead to scrunch up more than Taeil’s currently is.

”Yes,” Johnny nods, never breaking his gaze with Taeil.

“You are a wizard, which means you can use…magic.”

“Yes!” Johnny nods encouragingly, smiling widening into a gummy grin.

“And you are using magic to…cook dinner?”

“Exactly.”

“You are a wizard, who can use magic, and you are using magic to cook dinner.” He repeats, as if he says it enough times it will seem real. “My boyfriend is a wizard, who is using magic to cook me dinner,” Taeil closes his eyes, trying to understand the words even as he says them. Magic, wizards, flying plates—it’s all too absurd to be real but makes just enough sense to explain all of Johnny’s idiosyncrasies. Taeil isn’t sure he can wrap his mind around it.

“Do you want me to show you?” Johnny bites his lip, afraid that Taeil may turn him away, but hopeful he’ll stay and give him a chance.

Taeil opens his eyes and carefully looks at Johnny before nodding slowly, looking up at his boyfriend a bit scared but trying to keep an open mind. Johnny steps back and pulls out his funny stick from his back pocket. He points it at the teapot sitting on the stove and changes it to a tortoise. Taeil gasps in surprise, watching as a reptile now starts scuttling across the counter top. Before it reaches the edge, Johnny picks it up and puts it in Taeil’s hands, letting him feel it. The tortoise is warm and alive, wiggling in Taeil’s hands. Johnny points his funny stick at it, saying something completely incoherent before the tortoise is once again a teapot. An empty, cold, metal teapot. Taeil almost drops it in surprise. 

“Jesus H. Christ, you really are a wizard,” Taeil mumbles, looking back up at Johnny, eyes wide in wonder and awe. Johnny lets out a breath, glad to not see fear in his eyes. “I always thought there was something _different_ about you, but I didn’t expect you to be so _special_. I thought it was because you were _American_.”

“Maybe it’s a little bit of both,” Johnny chuckles awkwardly. He takes the teapot from Taeil and places it back on the counter next to his cauldron. “But it’s really not a big deal. There’s actually a very large amount of people who can use magic. I grew up among other wizards, so it doesn’t seem all that special to me. Just seems normal.”

“I guess normal is always relative,” Taeil mutters to himself, though he doubts anything about this is _normal._ He looks around Johnny’s apartment again, spotting all the things that he always thought were a little off and seeing them in a new light. _Magic and wizards—_ all of it was there right in front of him, and he just couldn't see it. He watches the food continue to cook on its own, and a thought occurs to him. “Is that why you didn’t know how to use a cellphone or the washing machine? No need for technology when you have magic to do everything for you?” Taeil inquires, trying to get a grasp on this _magic_ business. 

“Yes and no. We do rely on magic to do basically _everything_ , but we are also slow to change. Despite the world around us moving forward with technology, wizards tend to stubbornly stick to their traditions. They’d still rather send mail through an owl than use a cellphone to send a text.”

“You send mail through owls?” Taeil asks completely flabbergasted. “That must explain why I’ve seen so many owls around here lately.”

“Yes, my mother hasn’t quite figured out how to use the phone I bought her,” Johnny laughs, checking on his cooking. Taeil watches Johnny use his odd-stick to direct the cooking and cleaning, fascinated and confused.

“If this is such an integral part of who you are, why were you hiding all this from me?” Taeil asks Johnny after a few more minutes of silent observation and thinking. “Did you…do you not trust me?"

“No, I—I trust you. I _never_ wanted to hide this from you. I would have told you on our first date, but the wizarding world has strict laws on revealing ourselves to outsiders. But I really don’t care about that anymore.” Johnny takes Taeil’s hands in his, kissing it like he always does to emphasize a point.

“By telling me you can use magic you’d be breaking the law?” Taeil looks at Johnny, brow furrowed in concern. Johnny nods and Taeil inhales sharply, shaking his head in confusion. “I don’t get it—why reveal yourself to me and risk the punishment?”

“Because I want you to know all of me, Ilie. I want to be as open and honest with you as you’ve been with me.” Johnny smiles at Taeil. “And you are well worth it.”

“Am I?” Taeil whispers, eyes searching Johnny’s face. He bites his lip, marveling at just how special his boyfriend is—tall, smart, handsome, kind, adventurous, and now add _wizard_. In comparison, Taeil feels boring and normal. “Why date me when you could be with another wizard? You wouldn’t have to hide who you are with them. Plus, I can’t use magic. I’m so…unextraordinary,” Taeil frowns as he looks back over to the teapot that was just a tortoise.

“ _Unextraordinary_?” Johnny questions, appalled Taeil would think of himself in such little terms. He pulls Taeil to him, lifting his chin with a finger. Taeil looks up at him, eyes a bit downcast. Johnny’s eyes soften, taking Taeil’s face in his large hand. “Ilie, just because you’re a muggle doesn’t make you any less special.”

“A… _muggle_?” Taeil mutters, frowning as if he’s just said a dirty word.

“It’s the name for a non-magical person.”

“Oh, great, we have a _name,_ ” Taeil pouts, and Johnny can sense this isn’t going the way he hoped. He had a special night planned—a delicious dinner and wine, some music with maybe a little dancing. He was going to finally tell Taeil the truth about who he is and open up his heart completely. But now he feels like he’s flailing, and no spell can get him out this jam. So he decides to just jump ahead.

“What I’m trying to say is, you are well worth the risk,” Johnny takes a deep breath and looks Taeil straight in the eyes. “I love you, Taeil. And you are anything but ordinary.” 

Taeil looks up sharply, eyes wide at Johnny’s sudden confession. 

“You are smart, insightful, playful and full of talent. I could sit around for hours listening to you play the piano or guitar. And I quite enjoy sitting with you and watching TV. Your little comments always make me laugh. You are kind, gentle, and thoughtful—always helping those around you. Like me, a big dumb wizard that didn’t know how to use something as simple as a vending machine. You just helped me with no questions asked. Plus, who can beat your beautiful smile and big, brown eyes?”

Johnny smiles, face flush and eyes sparkling with adoration, touch soft and tender on Taeil’s skin. Taeil can feel his heart racing, hand resting on Johnny’s waist, squeezing it to keep himself grounded. This is all so much in such little time, his mind racing as it tries to keep up. “You are a wizard who can use magic, and you love me,” Taeil mumbles almost to himself, but Johnny nods emphatically as his cheeks burn red.

“You don’t need to be able to turn teapots into tortoises to be special, Taeil. You are magical all by yourself, and I love every cell in your body for it.” Johnny holds his breath, and waits. Dementors, dragons, boggarts—nothing terrifies him more than waiting for Taeil’s response. 

The day he met Taeil, Johnny didn’t realize he had been missing anything from his life. From their first meeting until now, Taeil has fit into every corner and crack in his soul, filling it and making him feel whole. Though he’d been surrounded by magic his entire life, he’s never felt anything quite as wondrous as the sound of Taeil’s laugh or the warmth of his touch. When they shared their first kiss, Johnny felt like he was flying higher than any broom ride could take him. When they first made love, Johnny wondered if he had accidentally taken a love potion by just how dizzying it left him. Because nothing in the world, muggle or wizard, could compare to the brightness of Taeil’s smile and waking up with Taeil in his arms. He can only hope that Taeil feels the same way. 

Taeil stares at Johnny in wonder, his thoughts jumbled and his heart pounding loudly in his ears. His mind still struggles to understand who exactly Johnny is—has the person he’s been dating someone else entirely? Has this all been a lie? He searches Johnny’s eyes, trying to decide who the real Johnny is. When he finds a familiar warm smile and adventurous glint staring back at him, Taeil’s heart decides that Johnny is just… _Johnny_. The same strange, quirky man he fell for that day at the vending machine. Now, he just understands him a little bit better.

“I love you too,” Taeil whispers, a shy smile breaking over his face. “I love your silly way of dressing, your strange sayings, how you still struggle to use a computer, and how everyday feels like an adventure with you. And if this is who you really are, then I love it too.” Taeil watches Johnny’s eyes form into small half-moons, his smile wide and giddy. Taeil laughs, matching Johnny’s enthusiasm before lifting up on his toes and pulling Johnny’s face down to his. He kisses Johnny, soft and tender, and he wonders if he can feel the magic flowing from Johnny’s lips to his. When he pulls back, they rest their foreheads together and smile. Johnny doesn’t think there is anything more magical than Taeil’s smile.

**Author's Note:**

> I honest to God did not realize I wrote this until I found it in my wips folder...and it wasn't half bad? I thought I had dreamt writing it. I guess binge watching the harry potter movies while in hospital then watching nct crack videos right after and taking pain meds resulted in this. I guess it's a sort of palette cleanser after writing a long johnil angst....
> 
> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> Come say hi/follow me on:  
> +twitter @shining_taeil_  
> +tumblr [@shining-moon-taeil](https://shining-moon-taeil.tumblr.com)


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